ESG Snapshot: Issue 2
Highlights include a feasibility study for shipping hydrogen from Tasmania to the EU, a grant to investigate transporting CO2 from Japan to Australia, and NSW's third biodiversity credits reverse auction.
Events include an industrial heat electrification seminar. Jobs include posts with DCCEEW and Boral.
ESG Snapshot is a concise weekly update for C-suite executives and sustainability and climate professionals in Australia.
ESG Snapshot is produced by the Business Council of Sustainable Development Australia (BCSDA), which is the local network partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
News items are listed by jurisdiction. However, they can also be searched by relevant SDG category. To do this, go to the SDG key at the end of this issue and click on the SDG icon that is of interest to you.
Distribution
ESG Snapshot is distributed to C-suite executives and sustainability and climate professionals who work for BCSDA's member companies and organisations. For membership enquiries, contact bcsda@bcsda.org.au.
It is also available to BCSDA non-members on a six-week free-trial basis.
In addition, BCSDA welcomes enquiries from organisations and companies interested in distributing ESG Snapshot under their own logo to their members, clients or suppliers.
Nature Action 100, a new global investor coalition, has released investor expectations to support urgent corporate action on nature loss. The expectations cover matters including ambition, assessment, and targets.
A project that would transport CO2 captured from Japanese steelworks and other industries to Oceania for sequestration is one of seven CCS projects that have received funding from the Japanese government.
Mitsubishi Corp, Nippon Steel and Exxon Mobil are the three companies involved in the proposed project. All up, the seven projects would sequester 13 million tonnes annually, with the Oceania project expected to sequester two million tonnes a year.
Videos and a summary of discussions from the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, held in late June in Paris, are now available.
The UK and France will spearhead work on the development of a global biodiversity credits roadmap, to support companies to contribute to nature recovery.
The UK Climate Change Commission's latest annual report to Parliament says that the Commission's confidence that the UK will meet its 2030 emissions reduction target has decreased.
"Climate-washing" litigation - over alleged misinformation - is on the rise, according to a new report on Global Trends in Climate Change Litigation, released by the UK Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions to the review of New Zealand's emissions trading scheme are due by August 11.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced "a full audit" of more than 1,000 offset sites approved over the past 20 years, to ensure they are meeting their obligations.
Consultation opportunity. Treasury is seeking submissions by 21 July on the design of a proposed mandatory climate-related financial risk disclosure regime.
The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will earmark $500 million to develop critical minerals projects, building on previous loans totalling $655 million to four critical minerals projects, following the passage of a NAIF Amendment Bill.
Consultation opportunity. The federal government is seeking comments by 31 August on a proposed area for offshore energy infrastructure that would extend from Warrnambool (Victoria) to Port MacDonnell (SA).
The CEFC is providing up to $100 million in finance to underpin the construction of the 850 MW/1680 MWh Waratah Super Battery on the site of former Munmorah coal power plant in NSW.
The CEFC is also providing a $75 million cornerstone investment in Mirvac's build-to-rent sustainable housing venture, and a $35 million investment in the new Adamantem Capital Environmental Opportunities Fund (which targets mid-market companies).
The Senate committee inquiry into plastic pollution in oceans and waterways held public hearings last week.
The Clean Energy Regulator has issued a total of 151,312 ACCUs to two soil carbon projects, marking the first significant issuances of soil carbon ACCUs.
'Greenhushing’, is "just another form of greenwashing, and risks misleading by omission. Silence from firms and failing to engage isn’t the answer," according to ASIC Chair Joe Longo in a speech to CEDA.
Submissions to the Senate committee inquiry into greenwashing are now available.
Geoscience Australia has released the 2023 edition of Australia's Energy Commodity Resources, which covers gas, oil, coal, and uranium.
Amendments have been gazetted to the NGER Regulations and Determination.
The Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development has released information guidelines on uncertainty analysis for groundwater modelling.
Statutory development and consultation opportunity. The Senate environment committee will inquire into the government's Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Amendment (Using New Technologies to Fight Climate Change) Bill and report by 27 July.
Consultation opportunity. The federal environment department (DCCEEW) is consulting on regulating waste from small electrical items and PV infrastructure, with a webinar scheduled for 11 July and submissions due by 23 July.
Consultation opportunity. The federal environment department is consulting on bringing energy efficiency requirements for televisions and computer monitors into line with EU requirements, and on introducing mandatory energy efficiency labelling and standby and network power requirements for digital signs. Comments are due by tomorrow.
The Senate committee inquiry into the Nature Repair Market Bill held a public hearing on Friday.
Statutory development and consultation opportunity. The Senate environment committee has called for submissions by 6 July to its inquiry into the government's Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Amendment (Administrative Changes) Bill. The committee will report by 27 July.
ACCUs last traded on the spot market at $31.85, with spot Human-Induced Regeneration ACCUs trading at $33.00, according to broker Jarden.
Sun Cable, SunDrive Solar and the Australian Steel Institute are among those scheduled to give evidence at a July 5 hearing in Sydney of the House of Representatives inquiry into developing advanced manufacturing in Australia.
Grant opportunity. Applications are open until 24 July for grants to land managers under the $17.5 million federal Carbon Farming Outreach program.
Consultation opportunity. The Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water invite comments by 31 July on a prototype dashboard to support environmental-economic accounting in Australia.
Consultation opportunity. Comments close 14 July on proposals to introduce regulatory controls on noxious emissions from non-road diesel engines.
Statutory development. A new amendment regulation increases the rebate for low to moderate income earners who buy a zero-emissions vehicle, and widens the pool of eligible zero-emissions vehicles.
Grant opportunity. The state government has released a new critical minerals strategy, and has invited applications for grants under the Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund.
Consultation opportunity. The state government is seeking views on options to better protect the Queensland section of the Lake Eyre Basin, with comments due by 25 August.
Bids opened 28 June and will close 12 July for the third Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund reverse auction, which seeks to buy credits that are on a target list.
The state government has released a briefing on probity and transparency arrangements relating to the operation of the Biodiversity Credits Supply Taskforce and Credits Supply Fund.
The Department of Planning and Environment has released a range of publications on flood risk.
The federal government will underwrite investment for up to an additional 550MW of firmed capacity in the NSW Energy Roadmap's firming tender.
The ACT and federal governments have announced a $3.6 million scheme to incentivise rooftop solar installations on apartment blocks in the ACT. Owners corporation committees will be able to access up to $100,000 for rooftop solar, consisting of a grant and interest-free loan.
The state government has gazetted a notice on fees under the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target scheme, now known as the VEU scheme.
The state government has instructed the Victorian Environmental Assessment Act to assess the values of the Immediate Protection Areas in the Central Highlands and East Gippsland, and in adjacent state forests in eastern Victoria.
The Essential Services Commission has taken action against some businesses due to concerns about poor quality heat pump installations.
The Essential Services Commission has published the Victorian Energy Market Report for January to March 2023.
Consultation opportunity. The Essential Services Commission is seeking submissions by 27 July on a proposed enforceable code of practice for electricity transmission companies using their legal powers to access private land.
The state government has released the findings of the Tasmania-Port of Rotterdam Hydrogen Supply Chain joint feasibility study, which concludes shipping distance is not a limiting factor, and Tasmanian hydrogen could compete on the proposed Rotterdam HyXchange trading platform.
Consultation opportunity. The state government has released a green paper on the energy transition, with comments due by 13 August.
The EPA has extended the licence of Nyrstar's Port Pirie smelter for five years, requiring annual gradual reductions in lead-in-air levels.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 11 August to Parliament's Public Accounts committee inquiry into how the state government's progress in achieving ESG outcomes is assisting international investment. The committee will report in August next year.
The state government has appointed former NOPSEMA chief executive Stuart Smith as director-general of the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
Consultation opportunity. Submissions are due by 11 July on WA's waste strategy review.
Consultation opportunity. The EPA is inviting comments by 20 July on whether a research pilot project in the Gulf of Carpentaria, proposed by Blue Carbon S2C Pty Ltd, should undergo environmental assessment.
Consultation opportunity. The EPA is inviting submissions on whether to assess the proposed clearing of 4,517 hectares of land on Mathison Station, with comments due by 26 July.
Consultation opportunity. The Territory government is inviting submissions by 4 August on a proposed new mineral royalty scheme.
ANU is offering a climate essentials professional short course on 15 August.
The Monash Sustainable Development Institute is running a two-day course on climate change and business risk, on July 19 and 20 ($2,970).
LRQA is offering training courses on the ISO50001 standard on energy management.
Click to search via SDG
